I did a week-long vegan "cleanse" after I used food as a coping mechanism to quit smoking for a year (ie, there were many pizzas and midnight candy bars and generally tons of awful crap). So I went vegan for a week and was like, "Well shit, that was so much easier than I ever imagined. Now I can't pretend I don't know that, there's no going back." And I never did. =)

Are there any foods that you miss?

nope.

How did close friends/family react when you made the change?

I was super sensitive to the feelings of those around me, to not convey judgment towards anyone, and I was lucky that they were the same. I've been very supported.

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?

More energy, digestive troubles/IBS/constipation cleared up, more in touch with my body, more intuitive with food, enjoy food a LOT more, better skin (by far!), and most importantly the sense of calm and compassion that accompanies eating without causing harm. That was unexpected and so profoundly life-changing.

How many other vegans do you know IRL?

Tons and tons. I live in Portland! =D

Do you have a favorite vegan resource?

I think Becoming Vegan is the best intro-type resource, it's so incredibly comprehensive. Colleen Patrick Goudreau's podcast, Vegetarian Food For Thought, is such a lovely, thorough, humble yet passionate primer on ethical veganism. It's so terribly well balanced, emotional vs intellectual, and there's just nothing else like it.

What made you choose veganism? I wanted to live a healthier and more cruelty free lifestyle. I'd have to say at the time the punk scene really influenced me. One of my first "cookbooks" was soy not oi

Are there any foods that you miss? nope

How did close friends/family react when you made the change? I became vegan when I left home because at home my family wasn't that supportive of my food choices. Once I was vegan I would say they were more accepting because I showed them I can cook for myself and make it work. Most of my family is more supportive now

What's your favorite vegan recipe? I can't say I have a favorite but I like anything out of appetite for reduction right now

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan? I have an overall feeling of healthiness. I am no longer borderline anemic. I actually care about what foods I put into my body now. I have a better sence of self worth since I know I am being kinder to the earth .

How many other vegans do you know IRL? I know a lot. I live in a very vegan friendly community

Do you have a favorite vegan resource? www.theppk.com great group of people

Awesome vegan mom to wolverine 11/11 and sabertooth 11/13 and partner to a we also have

What made you choose veganism?
I had read 'Skinny Bitch' in 2007 which made me look at what I was eating. I started reading labels and even attempted Vegetarianism but it didn't last long. (still read labels though).
Then in 09 I read 'Skinny Bastard' and looked into it a bit more and found 'Earthlings'. Made my brother and my husband watch it. We've been Vegan ever since.

Are there any foods that you miss?
I desperately miss fish and eggs.....and cream (as in clotted cream, double cream etc)

How did close friends/family react when you made the change?
My dad said he always knew I'd be a vegetarian one day, my mum was a bit taken aback and my aunt said we're making a mistake, man is supposed to eat meat!

What's your favorite vegan recipe?
Any cake that tastes like the 'real' thing. I can't stand those clearly vegan cakes/biscuits that have no taste but agave nectar/similar

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?
Not that much

How many other vegans do you know IRL?
My husband and brother

Do you have a favorite vegan resource?
no, I have a virtual folder packed with links

How old were you when you became a vegan? Maybe 21 or so??? I don't remember exactly.

What made you choose veganism? I was relying so heavily on dairy products (almost every meal consisted of yogurt, cheese, or ice cream) and then did some reading online -- was really bored at work one summer -- and discovered how unhealthy dairy products can be... from there, I was 99% of the way to vegan (since I was already vegetarian, egg-free, and ate very little processed food) so I just figured, why not go all the way? (Obviously did a lot of reading on it, it wasn't as random as it sounds!)

Are there any foods that you miss? Every once in a while I get a craving for real cheese, pizza, or ice cream, but for the most part, no.

How did close friends/family react when you made the change? Family was annoyed and thought I was just trying to restrict my calories (I'm a former anorexic... and I guess there was some truth to that...) but after a couple years they relaxed and saw I was doing better than ever in that department & so fully accepted the change.

What's your favorite vegan recipe? Thai peanut noodles

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan? I enjoy food more & am way more creative & varied with what I eat. Also, it 'cured' me of most my remaining anorexic tendencies! (I feel like a crazy person saying that... oh well...) And it opened the door to many more naturally-minded choices.

How many other vegans do you know IRL? Ummm I know a lot of people that sometimes eat/have eaten vegan but I don't currently have any friends or family that are vegan.

Do you have a favorite vegan resource? google. with google, all things vegan are possible.

I had always been intrigued in vegetarianism and when i was 13 I read an expose in RollingStone magazine describing the horrors in modern day beef slaughtering plants. I immediately cut out red meat and eventually cut out more and more animal products as I made those connections.

Are there any foods that you miss?

Nope.

How did close friends/family react when you made the change?

My mom supported me fully, my dad supported me but never really "got" it. My bf at the time HATED it so needless to say we didn't last too long after that.

What's your favorite vegan recipe?

I don't really have a favorite, there are too many to choose from!

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?

I feel amazing in body, mind, and soul. It has also helped me bring some amazing, wonderful people into my life.

How many other vegans do you know IRL?

Too many to count

Do you have a favorite vegan resource?

Not really. Just tons of books and blogs

S~ Peace loving, natural living, FuNkY vegan mama to Keiran 23/Dec/06:"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" ~~ MLK

How old were you when you became a vegan? Er...I went veg 20 years ago, at 20, and have been flirting with veganism more or less unsuccessfully until last year, when I finally just went all the way.

What made you choose veganism? It was a crisis of conscience - I had to face the fact that, in supporting the dairy industry, I was contributing to the same level of animal suffering that I was supposedly boycotting by not eating meat.

Are there any foods that you miss? Cream. My grandmother used to give me cornflakes with sugar and heavy cream, and I still love it. I could DRINK cream. Oh, and macaroni and cheese - the cheap boxed kind.

How did close friends/family react when you made the change? They took it as one more example of eccentricity, ribbed me about it for a while, then moved on to something new.

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan? I have some weird digestive issues that I won't get into, but my insides are happy with the abolishment of animal fat - frolicking with happiness, in fact!

How many other vegans do you know IRL? None. I am the last tin vegan.

Do you have a favorite vegan resource? I really like blogs - blogs by real people who cook real food. That was the biggest help to me, in finally transitioning completely - to see realistic vegan eating. Sometimes it's exciting and adventurous and sometimes it's toast with almond butter for dinner, and that's ok too. Oh, and I adore Sarah Kramer's blog, but that's mainly because I adore Sarah Kramer. :heart

I was already a veggie but then I read Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and went vegan before I even finished the book!

No foods that I miss.

My family doesn't approve. They all really love their meat and cheese! The love of my life was and still is very supportive couldn't do it without him. And my best friend converted with me that is great to have a hand to hold through such a big change.

I love all the meals i've tryed so far.

Alot of positive changes. Energy levels. over all health and a clean conscience.

What made you choose veganism? I had briefly tried it in college but found it hard to stick to. I was vegetarian/pescatarian for 12 years or so. Then in early 2009 I was doing a fitness challenge at my gym and decided to go vegan while the challenge was going on, hoping I'd lose some weight and gain more points for my team, LOL. I discovered that I actually liked it and never went back.

Are there any foods that you miss? Fish and seafood. I've actually had vegan shrimp before and it's not bad. Some brilliant person needs to invent vegan smoked salmon...yeah, I'm not holding my breath on that one ;)

How did close friends/family react when you made the change? Much better than I expected. I thought my mom would be sad that I wouldn't eat her food that I had loved so much in the past, but she adapted some recipes and found new ones, too. My friends have overall been cool with it. People do take it into consideration when having get-togethers and dinners out.

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan? No more GI issues! I am lactose intolerant but pretty much ignored it (and felt crappy) for years. Also, this might sound New Agey or whatever, but I feel a deeper connection with all creatures and I feel I have become more empathetic. Oh, and before this pregnancy, I looked better than I ever had in my life!

How many other vegans do you know IRL? Sadly, not many. I live in Louisiana. I do have some vegetarian friends though.

Do you have a favorite vegan resource? The website veg web has tons of recipes, I go there a lot for inspiration!

Working mom and grad student with a weird husband, a few cats, and a nifty kid! Anton, born 8/9/11

compassion, heath, environmentalism.. my then-carnivorous DH read my copy of "Animal Liberation" and wanted to give up all animal products cold turkey. I was pleasantly surprised and decided to take the all vegan plunge with him.

Are there any foods that you miss? craved cheese & eggs during pregnancy, but I just ate a lot of tofu scramble & fake cheese. :)

How did close friends/family react when you made the change? they were all tools when I first gave up meat & thought it was just an adolescent phase. When I went vegan, I had already proven I knew what I was doing, and was a grown woman living far from home. Friends still teased me about my cheese addiction that I'd held strong to all through college.

-I had been vegetarian since I was 8 years old for animal rights issues, and when I turned 19 and read more about the dairy industry, I realized supporting this industry also supported animal cruelty, so I had to quit.

Are there any foods that you miss?

-It has been almost 20 years now since going vegan, so I don't even remember what any of that food tastes like! So, no, I don't miss anything. But I am very appreciative of all the fun mock meat and dairy substitutes out there! Especially the ice creams; mmmmmmmm!

How did close friends/family react when you made the change?

-No one gave it a second thought since I had already been vegetarian for so long.

What's your favorite vegan recipe?

-I love making vegan pizza with homemade crust and daiya cheese!

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?

-I remember that my stomach issues went away. I used eat a lot of cow cheese which made me feel sickly and tired. Once I gave it up I did not have that problem.

How many other vegans do you know IRL?

-Maybe about 8 right now. I have met many more over the years though.

Do you have a favorite vegan resource?

-Surprisingly, not really! Since I became vegan pre-internet days I don't really frequent many vegan sites. I did just get a subscription to VegNews, which I like. As far as books, I liked Diet for a New America. It was my bible back in the day.

It was an ethical decision based on environmental and animal concerns. Also, though, I was finally at a stage in my life where I could cook for myself, was more educated about nutritional needs, and could more easily find vegan resources and products. I had been a junk food vegan for a short time as an 18 year old.

Are there any foods that you miss?

Not at all. Not even in the beginning!

How did close friends/family react when you made the change?

Some were worried about the health effects, but they were already used to my vegetarianism.

What's your favorite vegan recipe?

I don't have a certain favorite recipe, but I think Robin Robertson's cauliflower "cheese" topping recipe for the lasagna in her "Vegan on the cheap" recipe is great on pizza, and much healthier than the new generation fake cheeses.

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?

I have decreased the demand for animal products a little, and have opened some people's minds to the idea that animals have worth as something other than a product or commodity, as well as the notion that our actions affect the well-being of those we never meet face to face.

What positive changes have you noticed in your life since becoming a vegan?

How many other vegans do you know IRL?

Do you have a favorite vegan resource?

I was vegan in utero...from the very point of conception. I chose it because I didn't have an option, I guess. :giggle: But I've stayed with it because it's the only thing that makes sense to me...I believe in veganism...and I believe it's the best option. Never being omni, there's no foods to miss. I notice that I have much easier pregnancies than many woman who are omni or have otherwise junky diets...I was never supposed to be able to get pregnant, and when I did, they were sure I'd miscarry...I'm on healthy pregnancy #4. So neener, neener. :giggle: I know a decent amount of vegans...more than a lot of people seem to know. I don't have a favorite "resource", no...it's just always been my way of life to be vegan, so I never needed the guidance or support to make a change.